Play Construction Kit

ABSTRACT

A play construction kit includes modules, connector parts and a storage box. The modules may be sized so that a child or adult requires two hands to move a module while in another embodiment, the modules may be sized so a small child can play with the modules at a desk or somewhere inside a room. The modules are either primary modules or secondary modules. Primary modules have at least one full aperture or at least one half-aperture. The primary modules have an aperture diameter that ranges in size but is sufficient to allow the connector part to pass through. The connector part may fit in any aperture diameter with or without friction. Secondary modules serve to support or work with said primary modules or connector parts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to children's play construction kits. Inparticular, the present invention relates to play kits having looseconnectable and/or interchangeable parts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The concept of free play is one where children play in a manner thatallows them to imagine and invent how they play, thereby enablinghealthy childhood development. Free play is innate in children as theirimaginations are limitless. Children express their imaginations throughplay either on a playground or at home using playthings. Play is a keychildhood activity in which children can let their imaginations go.Traditionally play on playgrounds involved children usingdesign-directed equipment, including slides, seesaws, monkey bars, etc.,whose rigidly defined, or “prestructured,” forms and functions limitchildren's possibilities for play and as such stifle children'simaginations. Today's playgrounds have merged individual equipment intoa large playground combination device affixed with slides, monkey bars,climbing areas, bridges, tunnels, etc. These playgrounds are no betterthan traditional playgrounds of the past, as they still utilize oldpre-structured, prescribed equipment that have limited function. Few ofthe playgrounds to date allow children to express their full creativepotential or play freely.

Children's imaginations are also stifled by the current state of toys.Toys such as building sets have been touted to allow a child to becreative, however these sets only constrain a child's imagination.Exemplary toy building sets include TinkerToys, Erector and LEGO® sets,which all heavily curtail play as they are pre-structured toys. A childuses these sets to construct objects of limited scope. Also, these setsuse small, inflexible parts with prescribed functions that are limitedfor use by children of certain ages. To further limit imagination, manyof these sets include collective sets that make only one object.

The current way of playing using pre-structured equipment and toyscontributes to today's problems with childhood obesity and also to poorsocial skills, motor skills and school performance in children. Sincemuch of a child's life is structured, playgrounds and play things shouldnot be. Children have a natural tendency to play, which done freely,advances proper childhood development. Parents, educators and childhooddevelopment experts today are advocating free play to counterbalancetoday's structured world. Children that play freely develop bettersocially, physically and intellectually. These skills translate intobetter performance in school and ultimately results in better-performingadults.

To foster a child's imagination, play items are needed that are notbound by contemporary pre-structured designs. Play items need to enableimagination and allow children to play freely rather than stifleimagination. For instance, it would be ideal to have large, loose playitem parts that are firm but soft and interchangeable as well asinterconnectable. Such free play items should be suitable for childrenof all ages. Accordingly, young children would use the items to learnthe sense of touch and feel while older children would use them to learnmath, geometry, spatial depth, etc. It would also be advantageous tohave play items that foster group cooperation. Thus, by using play itemswith loose, inter-connectable and interchangeable parts, children worktogether to manipulate their play environment and create an exponentialnumber of objects, devices, structures giving life to the mundane.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a play construction kit conducive tofree play. The kit comprises a storage box and a number of supportable,connectable and/or interchangeable modules and connector parts. The boxis used to organize and store the modules and connectors and can alsoserve as a travel case. The modules have various shapes and sizes andthe connector parts resemble water noodles, the popular light andflexible, tube shaped pool toys made of polyethylene foam. Children mayuse the modules alone or with the connector parts. The modules may takeany shape being geometric, curved, organic and biomorphic forms. Themodules also range in sizes. Large modules may be used on the playgroundor in backyards and require children, and at times adults, to use twohands to carry or move the modules. Small modules are suitable for playeither indoors or outdoors.

The kit uses two types of modules, which are primary modules andsecondary modules. The primary modules may have at least one fullaperture, at least one half-aperture, or both. The primary modules withfull aperture may have one or more passageways, conduits orthrough-apertures disposed therein having any size and orientation. Theprimary modules with half aperture will have at least one passageway,conduit or half aperture disposed on one side of the primary module. Thesecondary module serves to support or work with the primary module andthe connector parts. The connector parts are flexible and have adiameter and length similar to typical water noodles. A child mayreadily manipulate the connector part through a full-aperture and/or ahalf aperture. A child may also readily manipulate the connector partthrough multiple primary modules.

The modules and connector parts may be used indoors or outdoors, at homeor in school. The modules and connector parts may even be used at thebeach on the sand or in the water. Modules and connector parts may beconfigured into any arrangement and are only limited by one'simagination. For instance, one can use the modules and/or connectorparts to construct forts, castles, animals, objects such as barbells, ora plethora of undefined structures or objects, etc. The connector partsmay fit in a full -aperture or half aperture of said primary module withor without friction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an environmental perspective view of modules in the playconstruction kit according to the present invention.

FIG. 1B is an environmental perspective view of a storage box in theplay construction kit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows the storage box according to the present invention in aclosed position.

FIG. 2B shows the storage box of FIG. 2A with one door open.

FIG. 2C shows the storage box of FIG. 2A with both doors open.

FIG. 2D shows the rear view of the storage box as shown in FIG. 2C.

FIG. 3 shows primary modules of the present invention having at leastone full aperture.

FIG. 4 shows primary modules of the present invention having at leastone half aperture.

FIG. 5 shows secondary modules of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows one of said secondary modules from the group shown in FIG.5.

FIG. 7 shows connector parts of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A and 1B show an environmental view of a play construction kit 10including storage box 100 according to the present invention. The kit 10comprises the storage box 100, modules 200, 300 and 400 and connectorparts 500. FIGS. 1A and 1B show the kit 10 and storage box 100 in alarge-scale embodiment, however, it should be noted that the kit 10 andstorage box 100 need not be limited in size and may be manufactured in asmall-scale embodiment.

FIGS. 2A-2D show another embodiment of box 100 which can be used tohold, organize and store the modules 200, 300 and 400 and connectors500. The box 100 comprises two doors 102, 104 and a central body 106disposed between and connecting the doors 102, 104. Connectors 112, suchas and not limited to hinges, may be used to attach each door 102, 104to the body 106 and handles 108 may be disposed on the doors 102, 104 tofacilitate opening and closing the doors. Each the doors 102, 104 andbody 106 have dimension and depth sufficient to retain the modules 200,300 and 400 and connectors 500. Shelves 114 and bars or dividers 116 maybe disposed within each the doors 102, 104 and body 106 to organize andstore the modules and connectors. The box 100 may be made to have acombination of shelves and dividers or, as shown in FIG. 1B, may beconstructed only having shelves 114.

Each the doors 102, 104 and body 106 has two side walls connected by atop piece, a bottom piece and a back wall forming independentopen-faced, cabinet-like storage closets. The connectors 112 aredisposed on front edges of the two side walls of the body 106 and onexterior, corner back edge of each the doors 102, 104. The connectors112 may be two-part connectors such as mating hinges, wherein oneconnector piece is disposed on the body 106 and it's mate is disposed onthe door 102 and 104. The connectors 112 and rollers 110 permit thedoors 102, 104 to swing open and closed, see FIGS. 2A and 2B.

The connectors 112 permit the doors 102, 104 to be movably and matinglyconnected to the body 106. In a closed position, the doors 102, 104 onthe box 100 abut and seal closed the open-faced cabinet of the body 106.Specifically, a side wall on each the first door 102 conceals half theopen-faced cabinet of the body 106 and the second door 104 conceals theother half of face of the body 106. See FIG. 2B. Also in this closedposition, the open-faces of each the door 102 and 104 abut each otherconcealing the contents of everything within the box and preventingitems within the body 106 or doors 102, 104 from falling out.

The box 100 may be made of any material such as metal, wood, plastics,etc. The bottom pieces and any shelves 114 of each the doors 102, 104and body 106 may be vented or be made to have a latticed design to drainwater that could be found on wet modules 200, 300 and 400 and connectors500. Rollers 110 may be disposed at the bottom of the box 100 tofacilitate opening and closing the doors 102, 104 and overalltransportation of the box 100 to various locations. FIGS. 2A-2D show thebox 100 designed to hold large-scale modules 200, 300 and 400 andconnectors 500, but should not be limited in size and can be scaled downto hold the invention when made in a small scale embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the modules 200, 300 and 400 of thepresent invention comprises primary modules 200, 300 and secondarymodules 400. The primary modules 200, 300 have at least one aperturebeing a full aperture or a half aperture. Primary full aperture modulesinclude 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 and 280 and secondary fullaperture modules include 310, 320, 330, 340 and 350. The secondarymodules 400 may be used as supporting pieces and include 410, 420, 430,440, 450, 460, 470 and 480. Both the primary and secondary modules havevarying sizes and shapes that will be described below.

The connector parts 500, see FIG. 7, are flexible longitudinal membersthat range in widths and lengths. Connector 510 has a larger diameterthan connector 520 and connector 520 has a larger diameter thanconnector 530. The outer surface of each connector may possess designs.Connector 550 has projections, while connector 540 has beveled surfaces.The connectors 500 are designed to be used with the modules 200, 300 and400. For instance, as shown in FIG. 1A, the connector parts 500 may bedisposed thorough a full aperture of the primary modules 200, 300 havingat least one full aperture 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 and 280 orthe primary modules having at least one half aperture 310, 320, 330, 340and 350. Both the modules 200, 300 and 400 and the connector parts 500of the kit 10 are solid, firm and soft to reduce danger or harm tochildren during free play.

The full-aperture primary modules 200 include a rectangle block withholes 260, a long block with holes 270, a square block with holes 280, acheese 240, a wheel 230, a clover gear 210, a plus gear 220 and a hinge250. The half-aperture primary modules include an arch block 310, anarch chute 330, a channel straight 320, a channel bend 340 and a chute350. Chute 350 also fits under the category of full-aperture primarymodules 200 as it has a full aperture 32.

The primary modules 200, 300 generally have at least one aperture beinga full aperture 30, 32 or a half-aperture 34, 36. The full aperture 30,32 or half-aperture 34 may have an aperture diameter that is less thanabout 10 inches and ranges in size from 1 inch to 8 inches being eithera small aperture or a large aperture. Generally, the diameter of smallaperture 30 ranges from about 1 inch to about 4 inches, specificallyfrom about 1½ inches to about 3½ inches, more specifically from about 2inches to about 2¾ inches. In some cases, the diameter of small aperture30 is about 2⅝ inches. The diameter of large aperture 32 generallyranges from about 4½ inches to about 8 inches, specifically from about 5inches to about 7½ inches, more specifically from about 5½ inches toabout 7 inches. In some cases, the diameter of large aperture 32 isabout 6⅛ inches. The diameter of small half-aperture 34 is comparable insize to large aperture 32. Large half-aperture 36 may have a diameterthat is larger than 12 inches and is generally about of 24 inches, seemodule 310.

Each the full aperture 30, 32 and the half aperture 34, 36 define apassageway having and connecting a first opening to a second opening.The apertures 30, 32, 34 are dimensioned and configured to receive anend of the connector part 500 having a corresponding size. Saidconnector part 500 may be disposed through the apertures 30, 32, 34either with or without friction. If desired, the connector parts 500 maybe used to connect multiple full-aperture primary modules 200 by pullingthe full aperture primary modules 200 along the length of the connectorpart 500. For example, looking at FIG. 1A, the connector part 530 ispress-fit through a small aperture 30 of the wheel module 230 and pulledthrough the passageway and out the second opening. The full-apertureprimary modules 200 may have any combination of small apertures 30 orlarge apertures 32. Generally, each full-aperture primary modules 200may have at least one aperture being a small aperture 30, with theexception for chute 350 that has one large aperture. Each half aperture34 may have a similar diameter to the large aperture 32 and thus allowlarge diameter connectors 510 to fit within the aperture 34, seeconnector 510 and module 330 in FIG. 1A.

The secondary modules 400 include a primary block 460, a semi-circle410, a trapezoid 440, a peak 430, a plug 450, a nickel 470, a sprinkler480 and a quarter round 420. The secondary modules 400 do not haveapertures 30, 32, or 36. The secondary modules 400 do not receive theconnector parts 500. Instead, secondary modules 400 may be used tosupport or work with the primary modules 200, 300 and/or the connectorparts 500. For instance, sprinkler 480 is designed to work with primarymodules 200, 300 and has a diameter that is dimensioned and configuredto fit in the aperture diameter of a full aperture 30, 32 or ahalf-aperture 34 of the primary modules 200, 300 with or withoutfriction. The diameter of sprinkler 480 is less than about 1 inch toless than about 4 inches, specifically from less than about 1½ inches toless than about 3½ inches, more specifically from less than about 2inches to less than about 2¾ inches.

Looking now to FIG. 6, sprinkler 480 is shown being bent in shape havinga connector end 482 with a hose coupling opening 483, a bent portion485, a longitudinal portion 484, a U-shaped portion 486 and a cap end488. The hose coupling opening 483 is designed to receive a water hosesuch as a common garden watering hose. Bent portion 485, longitudinalportion 484 and U-shaped portion 486 are scored with a plurality ofnotches 481 that are disposed at random intervals on said sprinkler 480allowing water from the garden hose to spray out at a variety of angles.As mentioned above, the modules 400 are solid, firm and soft to reducedanger. Sprinkler 480 may be made of polypropylene or any suitablematerial such as soft plastic or flexible yet hard plastic or similarmaterial. The number of modules 200, 300, 400 can vary in the kit 10 andare not meant to be limiting.

Both primary modules 200, 300 and secondary modules 400 have a size andshape. The size of the modules 200, 300, 400 varies generally inincrements. In large scale embodiment of the kit 10, the modules vary in6-inch increments and range in size from about 6 inches to about 5 feet,specifically about 1 foot to about 4 feet, more specifically from about2 feet to about 3 feet. Generally, the modules 200, 300, 400 arechild-sized where the blocks are of a sufficient size where a child, andsometimes even an adult, would be required to use two hands to grasp orhold one module 200, 300, 400. In a small-scale embodiment, the modules200, 300, 400 would be scaled down for use indoors on the floor of aroom or on the desktop.

The shape of the modules 200, 300, 400 can be either geometric ororganic. Geometric shaped modules have generally angular lines, whileorganic or biomorphic shaped modules are rounded or curved and resemblethings found in nature. Some modules may be part geometric and partorganic or biomorphic. The secondary modules may have classic shapessuch as geometric shapes including rectangles, circles, semi-circles,quarter-circles, trapezoids, triangles and cylinders.

The connector parts 500 are flexible foam members having a diameter anda length similar to water noodles. Both the connector diameter and thelength may vary. The connector diameter may range from about 2 inches toabout 6 inches. Generally, the connector diameter of said connector part500 is dimensioned and configured to fit in the aperture diameter of afull aperture 30, 32 or a half-aperture 34 of the primary modules 200,300 with or without friction.

The play construction kit 10 with storage box 100 permits a child tomanipulate their environment with modules 200, 300, 400 using theirimagination. The kit 10 with storage box 100 is conducive to free playwhere children are not restricted by adult-directed objects ordirections. Children may work as individuals, but are more likely towork in groups to manipulate the modules 200, 300, 400 and connectorparts 500 of the kit 10. As a result of using the kit 10 with storagebox 100, children become more active, learn to play together and developbetter emotionally, socially and intellectually. The kit 10 may be usedto make any edifice or object. For instance, FIG. 1 shows a childcreating a barbell using two wheel modules 230 and a connector 530 thatis disposed through the centermost small aperture 30 of each module 230.Other objects can be created and are only limited by the user'screativity.

1. A play construction kit comprising: at least one module having a size and a shape, said module having at least one aperture defined on the module, said aperture having a first end and a second end, said aperture having an aperture diameter; and at least one connector part, said connector part being flexible, said connector part having a connector diameter and a length, said connector diameter of said connector part being able to fit in the aperture diameter of the module.
 2. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the shape of the module is geometric.
 3. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the shape of the module is organic.
 4. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the aperture is a full-aperture.
 5. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the aperture is a half-aperture.
 6. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the connector part fits in the aperture with friction.
 7. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the connector part fits in the aperture without friction.
 8. The play construction kit of claim 1, wherein the module and the connector part is solid, firm and soft.
 9. A play construction kit comprising: at least one module having a size and a shape, said module having at least one aperture defined on the module, said aperture having a first end and a second end, said aperture having an aperture diameter; and a box having: a body defining a center open-faced cabinet, a first door defining a first open-faced cabinet and a second door defining a second open-faced cabinet, said body having a body-back wall with a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a body-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the body-back wall, a body-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the body-back wall, a body-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the body-back wall, said body-first side wall having a front edge, at least one first body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-first side wall, and a body-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the body-back wall, said body-second side wall having a front edge, at least one second body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-second side wall, and said first door having a first door-back wall with a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a first door-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the first door-back wall, a first door-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the first door-back wall, a first door-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the first door-back wall, and a first door-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the first door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching first door connector being disposed at said corner of the first door, said matching first door connector corresponding to the first body connector of the body, and said second door having a second door-back wall having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a second door-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the second door-back wall, a second door-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the second door-back wall, a second door-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the second door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching second door connector being disposed at said corner of the second door, said matching second door connector corresponding to the second body connector of the body, and a second door-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the back wall; wherein said box is dimensioned and configured to hold said module, wherein said first door is movably connected to said body of the box, wherein said second door is movably connected to said body of the box.
 10. The play construction kit of claim 9, wherein the aperture is a full-aperture.
 11. The play construction kit of claim 9, wherein the aperture is a half-aperture.
 12. The play construction kit of claim 9, wherein the module is solid, firm and soft.
 13. The play construction kit of claim 9, further comprising a sprinkler module, said sprinkler module having a bent portion, a longitudinal portion and a U-shaped portion, each said bent portion, said longitudinal portion and said U-shaped portion being scored with a plurality of notches.
 14. A play construction kit comprising: at least one primary module having a size and a shape, said primary module having at least one aperture defined on the primary module, said aperture being a passageway having and connecting a first opening to a second opening, said aperture having an aperture diameter; at least one connector part, said connector part being flexible, said connector part having a connector diameter and a length, said connector diameter of said connector part being able to fit inside the aperture diameter of the primary module; at least one secondary module having a size and a shape, said secondary module being absent said aperture of said primary module; and a box having: a body defining a center open-faced cabinet, a first door defining a first open-faced cabinet and a second door defining a second open-faced cabinet, said body having a body-back wall with a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a body-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the body-back wall, a body-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the body-back wall, a body-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the body-back wall, said body-first side wall having a front edge, at least one first body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-first side wall, and a body-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the body-back wall, said body-second side wall having a front edge, at least one second body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-second side wall, and said first door having a first door-back wall with a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a first door-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the first door-back wall, a first door-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the first door-back wall, a first door-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the first door-back wall, and a first door-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the first door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching first door connector being disposed at said corner of the first door, said matching first door connector corresponding to the first body connector of the body, and said second door having a second door-back wall having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, a second door-top piece being disposed at the top edge of the second door-back wall, a second door-bottom piece disposed at the bottom edge of the second door-back wall, a second door-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the second door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching second door connector being disposed at said corner of the second door, said matching second door connector corresponding to the second body connector of the body, and a second door-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the back wall; wherein said box is dimensioned and configured to hold said module, wherein said first door is movably connected to said body of the box, wherein said second door is movably connected to said body of the box, and wherein said box is dimensioned and configured to hold said primary module, said secondary module and said connector part.
 15. The play construction kit of claim 14, wherein said primary module, said secondary module and said connector part is solid, firm and soft.
 16. The play construction kit of claim 14, wherein said secondary module further comprises a sprinkler, said sprinkler having a bent portion, a longitudinal portion and a U-shaped portion, each said bent portion, said longitudinal portion and said U-shaped portion being scored with a plurality of notches, said sprinkler being connectable to a water hose, said sprinkler being able to dispense water through said plurality of notches.
 17. A play construction kit comprising: at least one module having a size and a shape, said module having at least one aperture defined on the module, said aperture having a first end and a second end, said aperture having an aperture diameter; and a box having: a body defining a center open-faced cabinet, a first door defining a first open-faced cabinet and a second door defining a second open-faced cabinet, said body having a body-back wall with a first side edge and a second side edge, a body-first side wall disposed at the first side edge of the body-back wall, said body-first side wall having a front edge, at least one first body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-first side wall, and a body-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the body-back wall, said body-second side wall having a front edge, at least one second body connector being disposed on the front edge of the body-second side wall, and said first door having a first door-back wall with a second side edge, a first door-second side wall disposed at the second side edge of the first door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching first door connector being disposed at said corner of the first door, said matching first door connector corresponding to the first body connector of the body, and said second door having a second door-back wall having a first side edge, a second door-first side wall disposed at a first side edge of the second door-back wall forming a corner, at least one matching second door connector being disposed at said corner of the second door, said matching second door connector corresponding to the second body connector of the body, wherein said box is dimensioned and configured to hold said module, wherein said first door is movably and matingly connected to said body of the box, wherein said second door is movably and matingly connected to said body of the box, wherein said first door-second side wall and said second door-first side wall seal closed the center open-faced cabinet of the body when the box is closed.
 18. The play construction kit of claim 17, wherein said secondary module further comprises a sprinkler, said sprinkler having a bent portion, a longitudinal portion and a U-shaped portion, each said bent portion, said longitudinal portion and said U-shaped portion being scored with a plurality of notches, said sprinkler capable of dispensing water through said plurality of notches. 